Slotsa luck for payoff from casinos

Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella describes himself as someone who would get down on his hands and knees to retrieve a dime that fell under a car.

He is not part of the big-spending demographic casino developers in Leominster and Millbury hope to attract. I'm probably not part of the demographic either, for another reason.

I get bored by slot machines. Sorry, I do. Years ago, the publisher of The Gardner News decided I should travel to Las Vegas to look at computer systems. I didn't argue and got a great trip to Sin City. It only cost me two suits I forgot when I checked out of the hotel.

This was back in the 1980s. I was not gambling shy at the time. In college, and after, I, and friends, used to play a lot of cards — always with the intention on their part of taking me for every cent I had in my pockets.

In Vegas, I didn't want to take too much time away from wandering from casino to casino to see what free stuff I could obtain, but managed to play the slot machines.

I have nothing against the Cordish Cos. and the many, many people who love slot machines, but other than the cardio I got from pulling the lever over and over, slots just didn't do it for me.

What I did enjoy, and what is a major draw of casinos, was the excitement and energy in the places. People were not there expecting to get rich. They were hoping to win, but were mainly there because casinos make them feel energized.

In the next few months, voters in Leominster and Millbury will decide whether they want casinos in their communities. There are positives and negatives. The plus for me is not the idea of a big facility just down the road. There are already plenty of gambling facilities in Worcester County. They are called convenience stores.

The big guy in gambling in Massachusetts has long been the state. The state took over gambling from the mob, and took it to a higher level. Many stores and restaurants have even set up Keno parlors for their customer's comfort.

Don't vote against the casino if you think it will make gambling worse. There are plenty of state-subsidized gambling addicts already.

The best thing a casino would bring to communities is entertainment. In Leominster's case, plans call for a 300-seat facility for shows, a nice addition to the community.

The casinos will also offer restaurants. Leominster is already restaurant-rich. It has some really good places, but it would be nice to see more — to complement, not compete.

Millbury is just over the line from Worcester's cornucopia of quality restaurants, but any addition just adds variety to the region.

Those are pluses. The communities will also get a lot of money, especially if the casinos do well. The money could do a lot of good if spent wisely. That is a reason to back a casino.

There are worries. Crime is a concern, although this is not Chicago in the 1920s and casinos are not road houses populated by toughs. The crime is more likely to be someone driving off drunk, or breaking into cars in the parking lot.

Traffic is the main concern, and that will have to be addressed. Leominster City Council President Susan Chalifoux-Zephir said she wishes traffic and safety studies could be done prior to the vote. That may not happen, but it would be good for voters if it did.

The process of bringing a casino to a community is difficult, and not something that happens every day. Community leaders do not want to be hoodwinked by someone not showing all his cards, but they also do not want to miss out on a good deal. They are trying to balance what is good for the community and what is good for the people in the community, and to decide if the two things are the same.

Contact George Barnes at gbarnes@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @georgebarnesTG